Safe Grapples
This is page assumes you know the basics of the Spacelords melee system Hihsasuke's melee guide Since a Grapple can 1 shot all Human type enemies from any amount of health, it is a very powerful tool, especially against harder enemies. Following is a list of "safe Grapples", which are Grapples, that cant be countered. Usually your immunity time after grappling an enemy Elite/player should give you enough time to setup for another safe Grapple by jumping onto or over suitable cover. If you initiate a safe Grapple while you are not detected by an enemy, it can be used to prevent charged Elites from activating their aleph abilities. Using safe Grapples can be used to deal with otherwise difficult combat scenarios. A Grapple performed on an unaware or distracted AI enemy should usually be safe. In general a Grapple is never 100% safe, when there is a Grunt next to the Elite/player or even another Grunt you want to Grapple: * If there are two Grunts, the one not Grappled can Strike you and cancel your Grappling animation, since Grappling a Grunt does not make you immune * If there is a Grunt next to the Elite/player, the melee auto lock-on system might target the Grunt, leaving you open to a Strike or even Grapple by the Elite. Positioning yourself in a way that the Elite/player is your closest enemy usually favours the Elite over the Grunt, but it is not 100% consistent. All of these setups can also be used on Grunts. Strikes: All of these setups also work for Strikes. This can be useful if you know that your strike will wound your target or put a Grunt to 0 health (on a low health enemy or because you have a melee buff from cards). But you have to keep in mind that, although the Strike animation might be faster, it takes longer to enter immunity, since you have to down first and then Strike again. The faster animation can help, if you would otherwise miss your time window (ie the duration of the climbing animation). The wounded collection: To Grapple a wounded enemy, it is better to Strike than to Grapple, because wounded enemies can still counter your Grapple with their strike. Most reliable Elite Aleph ability activation counter. Example The revenge Grapple: When a fellow raider gets Grappled by an enemy Elite, you can can Grapple back. (different for Commanders) Does not work against players, since they get immunity after an Elite/player finisher. Good Elite Shotgunner Supercharge activation counter. Example The behind corner Grapple: Waiting behind a wall reduces the reaction time for your opponent, making it hard to counter for players and impossible for AI enemies. Good Elite Shotgunner Supercharge activation counter. The animation interrupt Grapple: Elites/players cannot perform any other action while in a climbing or jumping animation. This makes grabbing them when they are jumping or climbing ''towards ''you safe Grapples. Enemies climbing away from to to a higher level cannot be grabbed from below. AI enemies also have a "climbing over obstacle" animation, during which they can be safely Grappled. Good Elite Shotgunner Supercharge activation counter on high ledges. Climb Grapple(same for "climbing over obstacle"), jump Grapple The ledge down Grapple: When enemies stand right in front of a ledge without being holed up (in cover), they cannot reach you, but you can reach them. This makes the time window in which they can counter so small, that it is virtually impossible. Not an Elite Shotgunner Supercharge activation counter. Example The ledge up Grapple: You ''have ''to be holed up (in cover) to Grapple up a ledge! Since AI enemies usually don't strike at players, that are not at the same level as them, this can be considered a safe Grapple. Visibility dependant Elite Shotgunner Supercharge activation counter (hide early). The over ledge Grapple: You ''have ''to be holed up (in cover) to Grapple over a ledge! This Grapple reduces the time the opponent can react. It can be useful against players because of that. Since AI opponents do not Strike or Grapple from being holed up, they can be safely Grappled. Visibility dependant Elite Shotgunner Supercharge activation counter (hide early). Narrow ledge, wide ledge The jump lure: Enemies shooting at you from higher ground can often be lured to jump down, by positioning yourself in a way, that they cannot hit you with their shots. Most useful against Grunts and Commanders without Aleph charges. Example The Guardian Grapple: Elites highly prioritize wounded Raiders. They will often start running straight at them. This movement is very predictable, but since they move fast the time window to react can be tricky. Unreliable Elite Aleph ability activation counter, because the wounded Raiser might die before your Grapple connects.